LETTER TO THE EDITOR Diffusional relaxation in random sequential deposition

Abstract. The effect of diffusional relaxation on the random sequential deposition process is studied in the limit of fast deposition. Expressions for the coverage as a function of time are analytically derived for both the short-time and long-time regimes. These results are tested and compared with numerical simulations. Diffusional relaxation in irreversible deposition processes of extended particles have been investigated recently [1–7]. In the deposition process of immobile particles, called random sequential adsorption (RSA), the asymptotic behaviour is dominated by the formation of ‘holes ’ too small for a new particle to fill in, resulting in the jamming of the available area. Diffusion allows non-effective depositions to be corrected in latter stages of the process. Thus, the coverage reaches its maximal value—the closest-packing value—for long times. The asymptotic filling process is dominated by the diffusive, power-law approach to the steady state, as opposed to the exponential convergence to the jamming limit in the immobile case of lattice models. Two kinds of relaxation mechanisms were predominantly studied. First, particle detachment was studied, both experimentally and analytically. Exact results were obtaine